Merrimack gets off to rough start

Friday, December 16, 2011

Joe Marchilena photo Merrimack's Kate Cole drives past Bishop Guertin's Jamie Sherburne during Friday's game.

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Joe Marchilena photo Bishop Guertin's Megan Kerutis, of Merrimack, drives past Merrimack's Madison Freed during Friday's game.

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Joe Marchilena photo Merrimack's Athena Rondeau looks for an opening in the Bishop Guertin defense during Friday's game.

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Joe Marchilena photo Merrimack's Kate Cole drives past Bishop Guertin's Jamie Sherburne during Friday's game.

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NASHUA – The Merrimack High School girls basketball team enters this season with an inexperienced bunch.

It showed in the Tomahawks’ season-opener.

Merrimack fell behind early and could never get into a rhythm Friday night, falling to Bishop Guertin 78-30 in a Division I game.

Kate Cole scored nine points to lead the ’Hawks, but when two quick fouls – her second and third – sent the junior to the bench early in the third quarter, Merrimack struggled even more. The Cardinals outscored the ’Hawks 22-3 in the third quarter, and at one point scored 25 unanswered points in the second half.

“We’re inexperienced and I think we did well considering,” Merrimack coach Amy Larkin-Perez said. “We didn’t make adjustments well to some of their strengths. Bottom line was we just couldn’t hit our shots. If you can’t make a bucket you can’t get on the board.

The ’Hawks went a full quarter without scoring a point, and struggled from the free throw line, shooting 7 for 20 for the game.

Bishop Guertin got 25 points from Meghan Green and another 16 points from Gabriela Piercy.

“Second half we dug in and made some plays and were able to increase the lead,” Cardinals coach Scott Hazelton said. “We want to be an up-tempo, running team. It’s a learning process for these kids. I thought for that we did pretty good.”